Type-writing machine.



H. A. BRIGGS. TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 6, 1905. Nov' -ZBHEHTS-SHHET 1.

News magma. Lrmmwnmnm. n c.

Patented Nov. 10, 1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

mamav btmmoq HERBERT A. BRIGGS, UF XEW YORK, Y.

TYPE-WRITING MACHINE;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 10, 1908.

Original application filed August 22, 1904, Serial No. 221,756. Divided and this application filed May 6, 1905.

' Serial No. 259,228.

T o all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1 HERBERT A. Baines, a citizen of the 'United States, and a resident of the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of Xcw York, have made certain new and useful improvements in Typeli'riting Machines, of which the following is al full` clear` and exact description, referl ence being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specitication.

This invention relates to typewriting machines 'and has special reference to an improved construction ot' type action of the type-bar. class. v

`The invention contemplates a type action capable of general application to type-bar .writing machines, though possessing many i;'speclal and practical `advantages in connection with a writing machine ot'- the visible 4front-strike type.

Aside from the special adaptation of the type action to provide for absolute Visibility of writing in the front-strike type of machine, the invention has in view a construction -wherein torsional pull upon the type bars is obviated and provision is made whereby there is .maintained a uniform tension of all the keys throughout the keyboard.

Another object in view is to `provide a construction of type action wherein each set of type-bar connections is individually removable and replaceable, v ile at the same time means are provided for securing a direct pull upon each type-bar through the medium of an easy and quick acting leverage.

Vith these and other objects in view which will more readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel combination of parts as hereinafter fully described` illustrated and claimed.

The. essential features of the invention, involved in the carrying out of the above objects, are necessarily susceptible to strnctural changeA without departing from the scope of the invention, but a preferred elnliodiment thereof is shown in the accompanying drawings. in whicl e Figure 1 is a general sectional view of a type carriage equipped witha type-bar action embodying the present invention; Fig. 2 is a skeleton view of the type action Fig.

3 -is a detail elevation oflthe rear part of.`

the type hanger showing more clearly the pivotal mounting ofthe type-bars thereon.

Like reference numerals designate correspondin, parts in the several figures ot' the drawings.

For illustrative purposes the improved type action is shown in the drawings in-its operative relation to a type carriage frame F and a platen l". The' other parts and mechanisms of the writing machine are not illustrated as they forni no part of this application, and the description and claims herein are restricted exclusively to the type action ,ver ilse. l

Referring generally to the relative arrangement'of the parts it will be observed by reference to the drawings that the type carriage frame F is provided at the top with a horizontal type basket opening 1, which is open throughout at the front, rear, and top, whereby absolute visibility of writin may be provided for, and hence said type asket opening 1 provides for the arrangement therein of a horizontal type basket made up of a semi-circular series of type bars 2, normally lying in substantially horizontal posi,

tions, and striking against the front side of the platen in the manner that is commonly known in the art as characterizing frontstrike writing-insight machines. The ,individual type bars 2 carry a plurality of type faces U" and L, representing the upper and lower case characters, and are associated with a hanger ring, or segment 3 mounted in an upright position within the rear of, the type'basket opening 1 of the type carriage frame. from the top side-thereof a bifurcated finder guide 4, within which each type bar passes so that it is brought vwith accuracy to the common printing point.

To provideA for the hanging of the series of type bars the upright segment hanger ring 3 thereof with a plurality of radial type bar slits 5. and a pivot wire 0r rod 6 suitably litted within the body of the ring and intersecting the several slits At its rear side the hanger ring or segment 3 has yleldingly mounted thereon a retaining. plate 7 ofv a segmental form (Fig. 3) and preferably supported on stud-screws 8, between the heads The hanger ring 3 has extended is provided in the peripheral edge' of which and plate T are interposed the coil v outwardly when the type liars are inserted or removed. 'l'he function of this yleldingly mounted plate 7 is that ot' a retaineviior keeping the type bars in operative position within the slits 5, upon the pivot wire or rod 6, while', when it is desired to remove or to replace any one of the type bars, the plate will yield sutliciently to permit the type bar to be lifted oil or placed in position on the pivot rod 6.

Below the horizontal plane of the rin 3 is arranged a slotted guide bar 10, and lielow the plane of the slots of the latter is arranged' a stationary fulcrum rod 11, the function of which parts will be a parent in connectiomwith the mounting o the type action parts.

The type action per se includes the swinging type bar 2 provided at its heel with ani open pivot hook 12 detachably engaging the pivot wire 6 of the hanger ring and working in a radialslit 5 (Fig. 1). To the heel of the type bar, behind the; pivotal point 6, there is pivoted one end of a forwardly extending intermediate link 13.' 4The opposite end of this link has a detachable pivotal connection with an arm Msfon a reciprocatory pull bar 15. This detachable connection may be. of any suitable character pro viding for the ready disconnection of thelink 13 while at the same time maintaining A' theV saidy parts pivotally connected in their f-.-,.l .'normal relation; but, a preferred construction is shown in the drawings and consists in providing the arm on 4glie pull'rod 15 with a pivot key 16, adapted vo coperate with a correspondingly shaped key-hole slot 17 in one end of the link 13. In positioning the parts of the key-holeA slot 17 in the link 13 1s brought into registration with the key 16 and then passed over the key, after which a partial turn of the link 13 causes the keyole slot to be thrown out of alinement with the key 16, and hence serves to maintain the arts in interlocked relation, though readily etachable. The arms 14 are preferably I formed with thev pull bars 15 asan integral part thereof. In Fig. 2 s illustrated one of the central type bars and operating keys. The pull bars and key levers are arranged in horizontal planes, and as the type bars are segmentally m'ounted, provision must be niade for the varyingdistance between the pull bars and type bars. This is accomplished by increasing the length of the arm 14 as their positions approach the sides of the machine, and in order to avoid any torsional pull upon the type bars each arm is projected vertically until it intersects the plane in which its type bar swings, and is then odset or bent into that plane, so that the pull on each type bar is even and true. This construction is illus# trated most clearly in Fig. 3.

ffnearearesdvoi-the punta 15 loosely works through .ione ot'th'e guide openings of the slotted guide bar l0, and the frontend of the pull bar, is pivotally connected to one end of a swinging toggle link 18, the other end of which is pivoted to a key lever 19 intermediate the ends of the latter. Intermediate its ends, the said swinging toggle lever 18 has pivotally connected thereto one end of'a short fulcrum link 20, having at its opposite end an open hook 21 engaging a stationary pivot rod 22 which extends across the type carriage frame, the hook 21 being held in operative engagement with said rod 22 by the retaining rod 23. The point of connection between'the toggle links 18 and the fulcrum links 20, and the length of the flcrum links, as will be understood, will vary slightlyl to compensate for the varying lengths of the key levers for the different banks of keys, the length of the tul'crum links being less and their 'point of connection lower for the longer key levers.

The rear end of th key lever is removably hooked, under the stationary fulcrninrod 11, and adjacent to the latter anv adjustable tension spring 24 ispl'aced beneath the key lever and is supported upon the supporting bar 25. By reason of this construction a convenient individualv tension adjustment is provided for each key lever, in order that the tension of all keys may be made alike throughout the key board, and each key lever of course carries its 'individual key disposed within the key-board at the front et the type carriage. Furthermore, it Willlbe observed that by reason of the construction and mounting of parts, as described, the individual re'- mdval of the entire key or type bar action is permitted, inasmuch as each type bar can be readily unhooked from its pivot 6, and likewise each key lever and each ulcrum link 20 disengaged trn their pivotal points 11 and 22 respectively. Also, a type har and its link 13 can be removed alone by simply unhooking the type bar from the pivot 6', and disconnecting the link 13 from the pivot key 16 which is carried with the pull rod 1.5.

vIn connection with the mounting of the short fulcrnm links 2O of the type action, it is to be observed thatA the forward ends ot these several links are arranged to entend slightly between the teeth of a guiding comb 26, on the. type carriage which prevents lateral movement of the said fulcrnm links, while the latter are otherwise properly retained in place through the medium of the pivot rod 22 and the retaining rod 23.

Referring particularly to Fig. 2 ilustrating the type action, it will be observed that upon the depression ot'an individual key lever, the toggle 18-20 is straightened out,

iso

- upon-'the intermediate link 13 with the con-.

upward and rearward again'sttlie front "of" the platen.

sequence of sharply throwing -.-the.type 'bff 'The arrangement4 described pro-- vides for a direct` pull upon each type bar, and the motion starts with the longest and the easiest leverage upoiithe ,heel of the type bar, and a corresponding leverage upon the pull rod, thus securingthe most desirable feature of a type action, z'. e., a straight pull upon each type bar through the medium of an easy and quick acting leverage. l

A vuniversal bar 27, lying beneath vall of the key levers .19 coperates with a suitable letter-spacing mechanism (not shown).

VThe present application is a division of my pending application filed August 22, 1904, Serial No. 221,756.

I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-' l. In a typewriting machine, a type action comprising' a swingingtype bar, a swinging key lever, a movable member interposed between the key lever and type bar and having a straight-pull A connection with the latter, and a 'toggle .connection between said-mem ber and thel key lever, said toggleconnection h'aving a swinging fulcruni at a' point intermediate the said member and the key lever.

2. In a typewriting machine, a type action comprising a swinging type bar, a swinging key lever, a reciprocal member arrangedto exert a straight-pull upon the typebar, and' a toggle lever conne :tion between said member and the key lever, said toggle connection having a swinging' fulcrum at a point intermediate the said member and thekey lever.

3. In a' typewriting machine, a type action comprising a swinging type bar, a swinging lever, a reciprocal member arranged to eikert astraightpull upon the typ'e bar, a fined bearing forminga guide for said inemiper. and a toggle leverv connection between fsa-id member and the key lever, said connection comprising a link which is pivoted 'at one end directly to said reciprocal member and at the opposite end directly to the key lever. v

4. In a typewriting machine, a type action having a type'bar and key lever pivotally connected to the type carriage, a reciprocatory pull bar having a link connection with bar.

the type bar, and an operating connection between the key lever and said pull bar, said operating mechanism having a swinging fulcrum intermediate the kevlever and pull In a typewriting machine, a typeaction comprising a swinging type bar, a swinging key lever, a reciprocal member having a straight-pull connection with the type bar and arranged 'approximately parallel with the ke;7 lever, and an operating connection Having thus described the invention, what ber and the key lever,'said operating connec tion #having a swinging fiilcr'um intermedi- .ate its point of attachment to the reciprocal member .and lthe key lever.

7.` In a typewriting machine, the 'type action comprising a rearwardly striking and swinging type' bar, a .vertically movable key lever, a rec'iprocatory pull bar, a link connection between said pull bar and the heel of 'the type bar, a toggle link pivotally connected with the pull barand the key lever,

'and a short fulcrum link'having a fixed pivotal support at one end and at its pivot d to the toggle link.

8. n a typewriting machine, the combination with the carriage frame having an upright hanger ring carrying a pivot wire, a slotted guide bar below the hanger ring,

'other end and a stationary fulcrum bar below the guide bar and the type action comprising a-swinging type bar having at its heel an open pivot hook engaging said pivot wire, a vertically movable key lever having at one end a hook loosely engaged beneath the-stationary fulcrum rod, an adjustable tension spring arranged beneath the key lever, a rec'iprocatory pull bar working in the guide' bar, an intermediate link pivotally connected with the pull bar and with the type bar below the pivot for the latter, a toggle lever .-incliidinga link pivoted to the pull bar and vthe key lever, and a fulcrum link pivoted at one end to said other link `and having a lixed. pivotal support at its opposite end.v

9. In a typewriting machine, thev type aci tion comprising a type bar 'having an open pivotal connection withv the type carriage,

a key lever having an open pivotalA connection with the typeicarriage, a reciprocatory pull bar working in a fixed bearing, atoggle connection for said pull bar comprising a lever pivotally secured to the saine and to tlie.key lever, anda link connected with said lever and lia-ving an open hook connection with the type carriage, and a link piv- .anrl a link pivoted to .the heel of the type har :unl havingl a detachable pivotal 'connor-tion with the pull bar.,

11. In a' typewriting inachine,'the type action comprising a type bar having a cletaeliable `pivotal Snpport, a key lever having a detachable pivotal support, a pull bar, -a toggle connection between the pull bar and the key lever, said toggle connection having a detachable pivotal support., and a link pivotally connected to the type bar and having` a detachable pivotal connection with the pull bar.

1Q. ln a typewriting machine, a type action having a type bar and key lever pivotally yconifiected to the type rarriage. a. reoiprocatory pull barworking in a`ive l bearing, a link connecting the type bar and pull bai',i and a toggle lever connection betweenlthe key leveand the pull bar for artnating the latter.

13. ln a typewriting' machine, the combination of a i'eeiprocatory pull bar having an arm provided with anfolliset portion which recipi'oeatel in the planeof movement of its type bar, and connections hetxveen the offset portion of the arm and its type `bar and a toggle connection having a swinging fiili-rnni between the pull bar and its v operating key.

14:. action comprieing a type bar having a detachable pivot connection with 'the type earriage, a. key lever connection' including a reciprocal pull bar having a member provided with a pivotkey, and a link pivotal'ly connected to the type bar and having a keyhole slot detachably interlocking With the said key.

` 15. In a typPWrit-ing machine, the type action comprising a swinging type. liar, a swinging key lever, a reeiproeatory pull bar,

ln a typewriting machine, the type a link conneotin r the type bar and the pull bar,v and a togg e connection for operating said pull bar comprising two links, one o'i which is pivoted to the pull bar and to the key lever, and the other of which is pivoted vat one end to the first mentioned link and has a fixed pivotal support at its opposite end.

- i HERBERT A. BRIGrGrS.J .Witnesses t). H. HoPWooD, F. H. W1iviMnL. 

